Refractory article and method of making the same.



I UNITED S A EDWARD cooDmcHAoHEsoN,

CANADA, ASSIGNUR TOOWILLIAM FALLs, NEW YORK.

PATENT oFFIoE.

OF STAMFORD TOWNSHIP, ONTARIO,

AOHESON SMITH, OF NIAGARA To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD GooDmoH ACHESON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residin in Stamford township, Ontario, Canada, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Refractory Articles and Method ofMaking the Same, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to the production of crucibles or otherrefractory coherent articles or bodies of a compound of silicon, carbon,and oxygen.

The invention comprises both the method of producing such articles andthe product thereof.

In manufacturing fire-bricks by molding a moistened mass offinely-divided siloxicon, whichis a compound of silicon, carbon, andoxygen, and firing to develop the self-bonding property, as disclosed inmy Patent No. 722,793, of March'17, 1903, I have noticed that when thebricks are heated in an oxidizing atmosphere the surface is harder andtougher than the interior. I therefore concluded that the action ofoxygen increases the self-bonding property.

The present invention is based on this observation that the self-bondingproperty of silicon, carbon, and oxygenis increased by the action ofoxygen.

In carrying out my present invention I mold or otherwise shape thecompound of silicon, carbon, and oxygen into a body and fire it. underoxidizing conditions throughout the body. For this urpose thefinelydivided compound'is pre erably mixed with a small amount of anoxidizing agent. It is desirable that the oxidizing agent thus addedshould not liberate its oxygen at a low temperature. A ents which havebeen found suitable for t e purpose are metallic oxids, such as those ofmanganese, iron, or chromium. The presence of free carbon inthe mixtureor the addition of carbon thereto is not detrimental to the self-bondingproperty. In practice 1oyingninetytwo parts, byweight, of the compoundof silicon, carbon, and oxygenforexample, s1lox1conone ,part ofmanganese dioxid, seven parts of carbon, and a sufficient amount of aliquid--such as water, petroleum, or glycerin ora viscous one, such aswater and dextrlne,to brmg the mass Specification of Letters Patent.dpplicatiogi filed September 23,19Q5. S rial N 279,855.

the articles may beproduced by' Patented Nov. 20, 1906.

into a plastic state. The constituents are preferably finely divided andintimately mixed. The mixture is then shaped in any usual way and fired,preferably at a red heat. In order to subject the article to a high anduniform temperature, it is preferably embedded in carbon and fired in anelectric furnace.

While it is to be understood that the precise nature of the 'efiectproduced by the oxidizing agent and of the free carbon, if present, isnot accurately known and that the scope of this invention is independentof theory, it has been found that the above ma terials furnish a mixturewhich is well adapted for the purposes intended. Crucibles have thusbeen produced which on account of their high heat conductivity, chemicalinertness, and durability are especially suitable for the use of steeland brass founders.

While the described method is that preferably employed, articles ofsuflicient strength for many uses may be made by simply molding amixture of the finely-divided compound of silicon, carbon, and oxygenwith a tempo-' rary binder and firing the mixture under oxidizingconditions throughout the b0dyas, for instance, in an, atmosphere ofcompressed oxygen.

I claim- 1. The process of producing refractory coherent articles, whichconsists in shaping a mass of'a compound of silicon, carbon and oxygenand firing the shaped body under oxidizing conditions throughout thebody.

2. The process of producing refractory coherent articles, which consistsin mixing a finely-divided compound of silicon, carbon and oxygen withan oxidizing agent, molding the mixture. and firing the molded body.

3. The process of roducing refractory coherent articles, which consistsin mixing a finely-divided compound of silicon, carbon and oxygen withametallic oxid, molding the mixture and firing the molded body.

4. The process of roducing refractory coherent articles, whic consistsin mixlng a finely-divided compound of silicon, carbon.

and oxygen with an oxidizing agent and carbon, molding the mixture andfiring the molded body.

'5. As a new manufacture, an article consisting of a molded and firedbody of particles of a compound of silicon, carbon and oxygen,.

the component particles having been sub- I jected to oxidizingconditions during the firing 7. As a new manufacture, an article consisting of a shaped and fired mixture of a compound of sihcon, carbonand oxygen, an

- oxidlzing agent and carbon.

8.A s a new manufacture, an article consisting of a molded and firedmixture of a compound of silicon, carbon and oxygen and I 5 a metallic'oxid. g g

9. As a new manufacture, an article'consisting of a molded and firedmixture. of a compound of silicon, carbon and oxygen, a

metallic oxld and carbon.

. 20 In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

' EDWARD eoomucu AOHESON. Witnesses:

EUGENE A. BYRNES, F. L. FREEMAN.

